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Ayam masak merah
Chicken in tomato chilli sauce
Ayam masak merah — chicken in a glossy, sweet-hot tomato and chilli sauce
Red-cooked chicken turns up at almost every Malay kenduri (wedding feast) and Hari Raya open house across Malaysia, ladled out of huge pots beside nasi minyak or plain rice. The chicken pieces are fried first so the skin firms up, then simmered in a brick-red sauce of blended dried chillies, tomato and onion that tastes sweet first, then hot, then tangy. Cinnamon, star anise and cloves give it a warm, almost festive smell, and a splash of coconut milk at the end rounds off the edges. Serve it with steamed rice, cucumber slices and a spoon of acar (pickled vegetables). Chef's tip: fry the chilli paste until it darkens and the oil seeps out (pecah minyak) before any tomato goes in; raw paste makes the sauce taste harsh and bitter.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs and drumsticksbone-in, skin on, cut into 8–10 pieces
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup vegetable oilfor shallow-frying; you will pour most of it off
For the chilli paste
- 20 dried red chilliesstems removed, soaked in boiling water 15 min, drained
- 6 shallotspeeled
- 4 cloves garlic
- ⅔ oz fresh gingersliced
For the sauce
- 1 onionlarge, sliced into rings
- 3 ripe tomatoescut into wedges
- 3 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 tbsp sugaradd more to taste; the sauce should be clearly sweet
- ½ cup coconut milk
- ¾ cup water
- 2 ⅞ oz frozen peas (optional)
- 1 handful coriander leaves (optional)to garnish
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Pat the 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks dry, rub it with 1 tsp ground turmeric and half the ¾ tsp salt, and leave it in the fridge for 15 minutes while you make the paste. Use a separate board for the raw chicken.
15 minStep 2: Blend the drained 20 dried red chillies, 6 shallots, 4 cloves garlic and ⅔ oz fresh ginger with 3 tablespoons of water to a smooth, deep-red paste.
Step 3: Heat ¾ cup vegetable oil in a wide wok or pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the chicken in two batches, skin side first, for 4–5 minutes a side until golden all over; it does not need to be cooked through yet. Lift onto a plate.
10 minStep 4: Pour off all but 4 tablespoons of the oil. Over a medium heat, fry the 1 set whole spices (1 cinnamon stick, 2 star anise, 4 cloves) for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the chilli paste.
Step 5: Fry the paste, stirring often, for 8–10 minutes until it turns darker brick-red, smells sweet rather than raw, and red oil pools at the edges. Don't rush this or crank the heat: scorched chilli paste turns bitter and cannot be rescued.
9 minStep 6: Stir in 3 tbsp tomato purée, 2 tbsp sugar, the rest of the ¾ tsp salt and ¾ cup water. Return the chicken with any juices and bring to a gentle simmer.
2 minStep 7: Cover and simmer over a medium-low heat for 15 minutes, turning the pieces once, until the chicken reaches 165°F (165 °F) in the thickest part near the bone and the juices run clear.
15 minStep 8: Add 1 onion, 3 ripe tomatoes, the peas if using, and ½ cup coconut milk. Simmer uncovered for 3–4 minutes until the onion is just soft and the sauce clings thickly to the chicken. Taste: it should be sweet, hot and slightly tangy; add sugar or salt as needed.
4 minStep 9: Scatter with coriander if you like and serve hot with rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 34 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ayam masak merah take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
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